Sigfrid of Sweden

Saint Sigfrid
Apostle of Sweden
Born Unknown
Glastonbury
Died 1045
Växjö
Feast February 15
Attributes travelling in a ship with two fellow bishops; baptizing King Olaf of Sweden; bishop menaced by devils; bishop carrying three severed heads; bishop carrying three loaves of bread (misrepresentation of the heads)
Patronage Sweden

Saint Sigfrid (Sigfried, Siegfrid, Siegfried, Sigfridus, Sigurd) (?? in Glastonbury, England – 1045 in Växjö) was a Benedictine monk and bishop in Sweden; he converted king Olof Skötkonung in 1008. His feast day is 15 February.

After Ansgar, epithetised Apostle of the North, Sigfrid is revered as second Apostle of the North, besides the missionary Rimbert of Turholt. Lutherans likewise honor Johannes Bugenhagen.[1]

Life

King Olas Scobcong entreated King Edred, who died in 951, to send him missionaries to preach the gospel in this country. Sigefride, an eminent priest of York, undertook that mission, and on the 21st of June, in 950, arrived at Wexiow, in Gothland, in the territory of Smaland. He first erected a cross, then built a church of wood, celebrated the divine mysteries, and preached to the people.[2]

Many flocked from remote parts, out of mere curiosity to hear his doctrine, and to see him minister at the altar, admiring the rich ornaments of linen, and over them of silk, which he wore in celebrating the divine mysteries, with a mitre on his head, and a crosier, or pastoral staff in his hands.[2]

Sigefride ordained two bishops, the one of East, the other of West Gothland, or Lingkoping, and Scara. The see of Wexiow he continued himself to govern so long as he lived. His three nephews, Unaman a priest, and Sunaman and Wiaman, the one a deacon, the other a subdeacon, were his chief assistants in his apostolic labours.[2]

References

  1. ↑ Cf. Erik Gustaf Geijer, Geschichte Schwedens [Svenska folkets historia; German]: 6 vols., Swen Peter Leffler (trl., vols. 1-3), Friedrich Ferdinand Carlson (trl., vols. 4-6) and J. E. Peterson (co-trl., vol. 4), Hamburg and Gotha: Friedrich Perthes, 1832-1887, (Geschichte der europaeischen Staaten, Arnold Hermann Ludwig Heeren, Friedrich August Ukert, and (as of 1875) Wilhelm von Gieselbrecht (eds.); No. 7), vol. 1 (1832), p. 121. No ISBN.
  2. 1 2 3 Butler, Alban. "St. Sigefride, or Sigfrid, Bishop, Apostle of Sweden", The Lives of the Saints, Vol. II, 1866
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